At the sound of the voice, Usagi looked down and grimaced. Once again, she was wearing her white princess gown with the gold crescents across the bodice. She could feel her princess's tiara resting lightly over her forehead. Gods, I 'm sick of this dress. I remember having wardrobes full of gowns on the Moon Kingdom. Why don't I ever get to wear those?
A silvery laugh echoed around her. "You never did care for the traditional court garb, my dear."
Usagi whirled. "Mother?"
Queen Serenity welcomed her with open arms. "Hello, my darling. So you've finally found your way here."
"Where's here?"
Serenity gestured, and Usagi looked around them. A thick mist of clouds and glittering moon dust was all that she could see. "This is the Selenity Chamber. For as long as it has existed, this Chamber is whatever the Lunarian Queen needs most. It has the power to be a tiny room or an entire galaxy, and it can bring anyone you wish into being, no matter if they are far away or even dead." She gestured to herself.
"I need help, Mother."
The dead Queen nodded sadly. "I can see that." She turned and started walking away. "You need to awaken Sailor Cosmos. Only she has the power to defeat the monster possessing your body right now."
"But-" Usagi shook her head. "But I thought I was Sailor Cosmos." Although she herself remembered nothing of that last battle after throwing herself into the Cauldron, Chibi-Usa had filled her in on Chibi-Chibi's transformation and confusing explanation.
"Sort of. It's difficult to explain." Serenity cupped her daughter's face. "I myself do not know everything about Sailor Cosmos. There was never need for her until you became Sailor Moon. And I can't help you find her."
Usagi rubbed her aching temples. This was simply too confusing. "I don't know how to do that. All I know is that my friends need help. They're fighting the vampires all by themselves, and they can't win alone."
"Then go to them."
"What? That's possible?"
Serenity shook her head ruefully. "Did I not say that this chamber is anything and anywhere you needed it to be? Your spirit can be with them, and the Chamber can give you enough sheer power to fight at their sides. Who knows? Perhaps Cosmos will be awakened in that way." She embraced her daughter for the last time, for after this, she sensed that she would not be needed again. "I love you, my darling." The she stepped back and began to fade away. "You need only to concentrate on them, and the Chamber will take you there. Daughter, I am so proud of you . . ."
She disappeared, and her voice faded away.
Usagi flopped her hands at her sides and looked around aimlessly. "Okay, then. Guess I'm on my own again. Concentrate. Right." She summoned a chair and slumped into it. Concentrate on what?
Mamoru's face rose unbidden before her, and she started. Of course! There was no one that her heart knew better, no one that she was so drawn to. She'd concentrate on her Mamochan. Usage stood and closed her eyes, sending her thoughts out toward the one man she loved more then life itself. This had to work.
***

Mamoru stood aimlessly in from of the Door. He felt so useless!
Hands kneaded his shoulders; he twisted his head around to see Luna. She stood in her human form, and stared with him at the empty Door. "I'm out of ideas," she admitted. Saturn silently nodded in agreement.
"Do you think we should just join the others? Nothing we've tried in the past hour does any good. We've only got one hour left! We don't even know if Usagi's still alive." Mamoru whirled away to pace through the roiling fog that surrounded the Door. Never before had he been in so difficult a situation, unable to do anything but wait.
Mamochan!
He spun around. "Who said that?!"
He was met with blank stares. "Who said what?" Luna asked. "Neither of us said anything just now.
Mamochan! It's me, Usagi! I'm still alive, and I need your help! Concentrate on the Door!
"Usako?" he whispered. Ignoring the confused stares of Luna and Saturn, he dashed back to the Door. "It's Usako! She's alive!" A quick glance showed Mamoru that the two young women there at the Door with him had serious looks of disbelief.
"Mamoru," Saturn said slowly, "are you all right?"
He was too busy to look at them, running his hands over the frame and staring into the blank entrance way. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but I just heard Usako. She said she's alive, and she told me to concentrate on the Door. Help me!" When they made no move, he groaned in frustration. "Look, just help me! If nothing happens, I promise, I'll let you lock me up in the loony bin. Please!"
Mamochan, touch them. I can speak to them if you're in contact with them. He reached out and grabbed Luna's hand. "Just listen!"
Luna? It's really me. I promise, he's not crazy. I'm alive, and I can reach you if you'll help me! Think of me and focus on the Door!
Luna pulled away and gasped. "Can it be true?"
"It's got to be. Now help me!"
"I only hope you're right." Slowly, Luna nodded at Saturn, and the small girl crossed to them. The two joined their hands to Mamoru's grasp on the frame. "I hope you know what you're talking about," Luna said seriously. "We need her help right now."
Mamoru! She sounded closer. Keep it up! I'm almost there! Her voice was growing stronger.
The Door began to glow. "Something's trying to come through!" Saturn cried.
Usagi's form slipped out. "I made it!"
The three stared at her. "Usako?" Mamoru whispered, "It's really you? What happened?"
"Yes!" She looked down and realized that she wasn't precisely whole. In fact, it was the same as when Pluto had first appeared to her. She existed in that odd, ghostly form.
"It's just my spirit. That thing is still in my body. Pluto helped me escape!" Usagi went to throw herself upon Mamoru, and he held out his arms. She passed right through him! "Oh," she said sadly. "I guess I'm just not that strong, yet."
"What now, then?" Saturn looked at her leader, eyes huge with new hope.
Usagi shook her head. "Mother said I need to awaken Sailor Cosmos, but I don't know how. Until I figure it out, the others need our help. There's this Chamber . . . let's just say that I've been given enough power to fight."
Mamoru turned to Saturn. "Take us there."
"Wait." Usagi placed her hands over the Garnet Orb. "I have an idea. Saturn, I want you to make the Door work. I'll be doing a little extra stuff, 'kay? Let's go."
***

The rest of the Senshi battled their way through hoards of vampire constructs.
"We can't do this much longer!" Venus aimed her Love-Me-Chain at three constructs trying to get at Diana's back. "There's just too many."
It had been the same situation since the nine had stepped through the Door two and a half hours ago. Fight, run, fight some more, cover for those of the team that had been injured. Artemis now carried Jupiter on his back; she had been mobbed by ten constructs at once, and had killed eight before she had been overcome. The other two had drained too much of her energy, and she was barely conscious. Most of the others had barely enough energy to call up their attacks.
"How long before you think we'll reach the jerks in charge here?" Mars glanced over at Uranus, who was bleeding from a large gash over her eye. "If we-"
"Wait." Neptune aimed her mirror and blasted three more away. "Something's happening. What's happening to the walls?"
The others glanced around. The constructs and the walls of the lair were become fuzzy and indistinct. A construct leapt at Mercury and, to everyone's surprise, passed right through her! Mercury looked around. "The constructs seem as confused as we are. I don't think they're responsible for this!"
"What's going on?!" Chibi-Moon cried out.
Don't worry, Spawn, it's me.
At the nickname, one that only Usagi knew and used, Chibi-Usa looked frantically around. "Did anyone else here that?!"
Everything went black.
A second later, they all found themselves in a large chamber. To one side, there was some sort of window that looked out over Tokyo.
"This must be the main lair," Diana whispered. "How'd we get here?"
"I brought you."
At the familiar voice, everyone turned. Mamoru stood there with Luna, Saturn and . . . Usagi?!
She stepped forward, and it became obvious that it was only her spirit. "I don't have any time to explain. The monster with my body and Daemon will be here any second. We'll have to give it all we've got. Saturn, can you heal Jupiter?"
"Yes." Artemis slid the larger girl from his back so that Saturn could reach her. It only took a moment, and Jupiter blinked dazedly up at them.
"Usagi? How'd-"
"How dare you!!" Usagi's body stood in a doorway no one had noticed. "How did you get here?" It caught sight of Usagi's indistinct form. "You! It's not possible!"
***

Usagi stood tall, and her aura began to glow more brightly. After weeks of fear, the feeling of helplessness finally seemed to melt away. She was tired of watching this thing hurt her friends, and tired of being its unwilling pawn. "I've come to reclaim what's mine, you monster. In the name of the moon, you're going down." Without warning, she pointed, and a stream of light shot out at the dark Queen. The creature held out the Crystal spear and knocked the blast aside.
"Everyone spread out! Attack from all sides!" Usagi shouted. "Don't let it touch you!"
"Stupid fools!" it cried. "You think you even have a chance against me?" The dark Queen spread its arms and an invisible blow struck everyone with fleshly bodies. As one, they all sank to the ground, paralyzed yet again by the vampiric powers. Only Usagi still stood, glaring at her adversary with a look of intense hatred.
"I won't let you hurt them again." She moved toward the creature possessing her body.
"Won't let me?" It laughed and swished Usagi's long silver hair. "Ha! There's nothing you can do." With that, it lifted the Crystal spear and hurled it. Usagi held up an arm in defense. She had no idea what effect the powerful object would have on her. True, she was a spirit, but the Spear was made of the most powerful substance in the world. No one had ever been able to discover all of the magical properties held by the Imperial Crystal. She only hoped it wouldn't hurt too much.
But the spear flew harmlessly by.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Usagi watched the spear. Understanding struck her like a heart attack. It had no intention of annihilating her, but rather wished to destroy those she loved.
The Spear soared towards Mamoru, who was held motionless by the monster's power. It intended to kill her beloved.
"No!!!" Gathering every last bit of energy she possessed, Usagi reached inside for the abilities she had gained in the Hallway of Time. She disappeared-
-And reappeared in front of Mamoru. Usagi's chest screamed in pain, and she looked down. She had beaten the Spear to Mamoru. She had saved his life.
She had thrown herself in front of the weapon; the Crystal Spear was lodged deep within her chest. Somehow, her insubstantial form had stopped its thrust. In the back of her mind, Usagi wondered how ridiculous it must look; a weapon sticking out of a ghost. Her breath caught, and she coughed. Blood flecked her lips.
"Usagi," Mamoru whispered in horror. "No." The other Senshi were speechless.
Usagi stumbled to her knees, unable to remain upright any longer. It can't end like this. Can it? She felt her strength leaving her body, and her eyelids were too heavy to stay open. Slowly, painfully, she turned to face Mamoru. "When there is nothing else to give, when there is no hope left . . . I love you, Mamochan . . ."
The world went white.
***